


Hug Me, Screamed The Cactus

by Tiny_Dragongirl



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen, Ping-Pong, Post-Break Up, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2020-10-28 19:27:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20783867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tiny_Dragongirl/pseuds/Tiny_Dragongirl
Summary: Pepper broke up with Tony. They remained friends but…But nobody said it was easy.





	Hug Me, Screamed The Cactus

“Hey, Pep, wanna play ping-pong?”

“Actually, I’m taking Nat on a coffee date. It’s a repeat performance, after last time Snapdragon interrupted it and tried to sort out some misunderstandings by destroying the whole café— Anyway, maybe tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow sounds great. Have fun!”

There it is again. That little pang of hurt and jealousy.

Ever since Pepper broke up with him and started going out with Nat, Tony has been trying hard to play the not awkward version of the card game called “we can still be friends”. Most of the times he’s doing fine, he thinks. Even though they still live in the Avengers Tower—Pepper changed rooms but that's all—, it could be worse. After all, he is not in love with Pepper anymore and he’s happy for her.

Yes, he wants Pepper to be happy— he just can’t help feeling bitter over his suspicion that she’s probably much happier _ without _ him.

“You okay?” Bruce appears behind him.

How long has he been standing in the shadows? Long enough to witness disappointment falling into Tony’s face? Long enough to hear Pepper’s gentle words—the words of rejection?

“Yeah, just peachy.”

“I’m up for a game of ping-pong if you—” Bruce offers but Tony cuts him off with a,

“No, thanks, it’s okay. I didn’t really want to play anyway.”

He sounds like a whiny kid, he knows that, but he doesn’t want his friends pity him.

“You miss her.”

Or analyse him, as a matter of fact.

“Ohh, you’re so clever, aren’t you?” It’s not fair, taking out his bitterness on Bruce, and Tony regrets it as soon as the words leave his mouth. He has to admit that lately he has been acting like a cactus—don't come too close or you'll get pricked. “Shit, Bruce, I didn’t mean to—”

But Bruce shakes his head in an ‘it’s okay’ move, not letting him finish the apology.

Then he says something unexpected.

“You know, in some way, I miss Nat. I miss the chance we could have had if—” The sentence hangs in the air, unfinished. “Well, it doesn’t matter now. What I’m trying to say is— See, I’m not saying that I know how you feel but, uhh, if you ever want to talk about it, I’m here.”

“Thanks, Bruce.” Tony holds up the ping-pong paddles. “Up for a game?”

After three wild ping-pong matches (Bruce beats Tony twice before the tide turns) they sit down to catch their breath and drink some water.

“To be honest, I was a bit surprised when I learnt that Pepper and Nat started dating.”

“Hm?”

“Don’t get me wrong, I, I just didn’t know that Pep swings both ways.” Bruce blushes, as if he had used to think about Nat with girls, and Tony chuckles.

“Pepper doesn’t do anything half-heartedly. Especially when it comes to love.”

“I guess she put the _ bi _ in bitch.”

“You spend way too much time with the kid,” Tony groans. “Another game? I’ll definitely beat your sorry butt this time.”

“Yeah, _ definitely _.” They get up from the bench. “Now that you mention Peter,” Bruce starts. “You know that soon enough he’ll experience his first heartbreak after a break-up or a rejection, right? In a blink of an eye he’ll be banging on your door for some fatherly advice. Any words of wisdom? Just so you won’t get caught unprepared.”

Tony snorts. “As if I had any words. Or wisdom.”

“Come on, Tony.”

“No, seriously, I’d probably just hug him and be there for him.”

“Okay.”

Much to Tony’s surprise, Bruce puts his paddle on the table and envelopes him in a hug. It’s firm and soft at the same time, and fills his heart with warmth, sweeping out every ounce of bitterness. Tony enjoys the moment. He knows that in a second or two he will ruin it by saying something childish or making a bad joke, but for now he rests his chin on Bruce’s shoulder and relaxes into the touch.

  
_ Maybe I’m not a cactus after all, _ he thinks, _ but a koala. _


End file.
